Indian visual extravaganza Baahubali in Chinese cinemas

Tamannaah Bhatia in Baahubali. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Inside a cinema in downtown Beijing on Tuesday, audiences were surprised to find the ceiling and walls covered with discussions in Chinese about the Indian film Baahubali: The Beginning.

At the film's preview, viewers were able to type their comments on a phone app that were then projected on the walls and ceiling.

Baahubali: The Beginning was released last year in India and many other countries in Telugu and Tamil, two languages of southern India. It is among the most expensive films made in India.

As the only Indian blockbuster to squeeze into China's fiercely competitive summer season box office, the action epic will open in theaters on the mainland in 2-D and Dmax formats on Friday.

Some Chinese streaming sites had put out high-quality subtitled portions of the film months ago for their subscribers.

The film has received critical acclaim in the United States, with scores such as 8.5 of 10 being given on IMDb and 88 percent audience appreciation on Rotten Tomatoes.

For some industry watchers in China, the danmu screening in Beijing was an effective way to entice local fans.